Samuel had been preaching for many days to the Nephites in Zarahemla and they rejected his message and cast him out of the land. As he was about to return to his home, the voice of the Lord commanded him to 'return again' and prophesy unto the people. How must Samuel have felt? He must have felt like he was guided by the Lord the first time around to go preach to the Nephites. And he apparently had little to no success. They treated him poorly. Was he questioning that original inspiration? And then to receive guidance to return and try again? What would I do? Samuel did not hesitate. He did not return to his home, but immediately returned to prophesy 'whatever things should come into his heart'. This took great faith. This is not an isolated incident in the Book of Mormon. Similar occurrences happened earlier where prophets were not successful on a first attempt, yet were commanded to 'return again' - e.g., Nephi and the brass plates, Abinadi and King Noah's people, Alma and Ammonihah, or Nephi to the Nephites and Lamanites just a few years earlier. What would have happened if these prophets had not returned, as prompted by the Spirit? Alma the Elder would not have been converted. Amulek and Zeezrom would not have been converted. Look at the good that came from them! Many of the Nephites and Lamanites who responded to Nephi and Samuel may not have experienced the joy of the gospel.
A few principles stand out to me in his account. First, the Lord gives us so many chances! He does not give me just one chance to repent and turn to Him. He gives me many chances. He invites me to change constantly, often through the words of his prophets, or through family members, or local priesthood leaders or friends. This account reminded me of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), and Elder Hollands talk on this subject (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard?lang=eng). The Lord of the vineyard 'returned again' 5 times. Each who accepted received the same wage.
Another principle is that we sometimes receive spiritual promptings that do not seem to work out. I imagine Samuel, and each of these prophets, could have been discouraged when they received revelation to go preach to people, and apparently none of the people wanted to accept their message. Why go in the first place? But I am learning that I do not always need to understand why I receive guidance to do something. I need to seek and follow the Spirit. I need not worry so much about the outcome. In addition to the Lord giving these people more chances to change and repent, perhaps he was giving these prophets further opportunities to exercise and strengthen their own faith, by letting them 'fail' the first time, and then prompting them to 'return again'. And just because the Lord asks us to do something, it does not necessarily mean that it is going to be easy, or even clear how we are to accomplish it. Sometimes we receive a prompting to do something, and it may not play out how we expect. Did Samuel think he was going to have to preach from the wall when he went back? It can be easy to doubt our promptings if obstacles arise. Samuel didn't do this. He knew he had to act on what the Lord prompted him and he found a way to accomplish this. Can I learn to be this faithful and diligent?
As I pondered my own life, I realized that I also have often had promptings to 'return again', and and keep trying to reach out to someone who has not responded to my initial invitations. This has happened on numerous occasions with my children, home teaching, serving in church callings, and sharing the gospel. It is very common that we are not successful reaching someone on the first try. Some common themes among these scriptural accounts of when people 'returned again': 1) they were immediately obedient to the counsel of the Lord; 2) they took a different approach; 3) they were filled with and directed by the Spirit; 4) they continued to face great obstacles the 2nd time around, but they exercised great faith, and showed great desire and persistence in accomplishing what the Lord had commanded. And in some of these instances, they may never have known the positive impact they had through their diligent efforts. I will try to be more diligent at following promptings to 'return again'.
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